Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Love Never Dies) will helm the musical that has a score by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Forum will open Oct. 27 for a 12-week run.

Sondheim is expected to be in attendance for the Oct. 27 opening night performance of the burlesque musical comedy that plays fast and loose with the works of Roman playwright Plautus.

Rush was recently seen on the New York stage in The Diary of a Madman last winter. He earned a 2009 Tony Award for Exit the King and is an Academy Award winner for "Shine."

John Frost, who produced the Australian productions of Wicked, Phantom of the Opera and Chicago is producing the Melbourne production. Additional casting will be announced in July.

Tickets for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum go on sale June 21.

Forum premiered on Broadway in 1962 starring Zero Mostel. It has been revived on Broadway twice, with Phil Silvers in 1972 and with Nathan Lane in 1996. Every actor to play the role of Pseudolus on Broadway earned a Tony Award.

Visit funnything.com.au.